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Nvidia lowers its revenue guidance for the fourth quarter of 2018 sending its shares tanking downwards by 14%. Other chip stocks followed suit. Analysts say Apple’s imminent earnings report means it could get much worse for chipmakers.
Shark Tank co-host Kevin O’Leary says:
I do not want to own semis going into the Apple print.
The iPhone maker has said it won’t publish an actual number of units sold. Guidance from CEO Tim Cook earlier in January already shows unit sales may have fallen. If Apple’s revenue report reflects this, then, says O’Leary:
We’re going to be light on units, it’s going to make grown men weep in the semi space because the multiplier effect is going to be brutal.
It could mean Apple suppliers, like Broadcom and Analog Devices, join Nvidia in a downward spiral. Broadcom shares have fallen 0.12% during trading today, Analog Devices stock is down 0.34%.
Apple may have been timely with the release of its new US supplier spend figures released today. The iPhone maker says it spent $60 billion with American parts makers in 2018. An increase of 10%.
CEO cook has previously said he didn’t need political pressure to create American jobs, but Apple’s latest report stood out for specifically mentioning its suppliers publicly.
As well as Broadcom, Apple mentions another “semiconductor,” Qorvo Inc, its shares have fallen over 1% too today.
Another supplier, Foxconn, refuted claims it was preparing for massive layoffs this month. However, Foxconn is also planning to open a plant on US soil, in Wisconsin.
Intel’s shares also fell 0.70%, Texas Instruments fell 1.66% and Advanced Micro Devices 1.75%.
Just last Thursday chip stocks had one of their best days in ten years. Xilinx, Teradyne, Lam Research, and Texas Instruments all surpassed earnings expectations in reports delivered last week. The performance took the wider sector into the green.
Of 30 companies on the PHLX Semiconductor Index only Qualcomm remained red. The semiconductor index is now down 2.09% today. Xilinx stock has fallen back 0.92% today but Teradyne and Lam Research finished trading on a positive note.
Nvidia led today’s chip stock plunge with a huge fall of 14%. It reduced its revenue guidance down from $2.7 billion to $2.2 billion blaming weaker sales and China’s slowing economy.
Charts from TradingView.com .


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According to World Bank report, the GDP of Uganda is increasing by 2% and eCommerce development is the only way to pull it up.
Revenue through eCommerce in Uganda reached more than $415 Million by 2022 and expected to cross $650 Million by 2025 with 16% growth rate.
During the pandemic, Safeboda also launches an eCommerce platform which is a taxi hailing app by keeping in vision the help to the vendors of vegetables, groceries as well to lift up the countries economy.
Government of Uganda is also supporting the entrepreneurship development and innovative start up solutions.
Online selling platforms and marketplaces are playing a vital role in the development of E-commerce industry in Uganda and we have prepared the list for the same.
List of Top 10+ E-commerce platforms & Marketplaces in Uganda

domain: news


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General Motors Company (NYSE:GM)’s electric car strategy
General Motors Company (NYSE:GM) recently renamed its powertrain division to GM Global Propulsion Systems from GM Powertrain. That move is designed to better highlight GM’s portfolio of vehicles. Although the majority of GM’s vehicles are gas powered, the company is increasingly expanding into hybrid and electric propulsion segments, which explains the need to name the powertrain division aptly.
At this point, General Motors Company (NYSE:GM) claims that nearly half of its 8,600 engineers and designers have a hand in its alternative propulsion systems. That doesn’t necessarily mean that 50% of the team is dedicated to gas engines and the other 50% to electric or alternative propulsion electric propulsion systems. Instead, it does mean that at least 50% of those working in the propulsion system division in one way or the other deal with alternative propulsion systems. That means that while some of those engineers are 100% dedicated to electric engines, others are only 5% involved.
General Motors Company (NYSE:GM) has seen rivals double down their efforts in electric and self-driving cars and the company is not willing to be left behind. The company has picked on Chevrolet Bolt EV to be its flagship electric vehicle project. GM’s CEO, Mary Barra showed off a concept Chevy Bolt at the 2015 CES and later showed off a production model of the car at the 2016 CES.
$30,000 for 200-mile range
According to General Motors, the Chevy Bolt will come with a 200-mile and is expected to be priced around $30,000. At that price point, Chevy Bolt will compete directly with Tesla’s Model 3, which is expected to cost around $35,000 and will have a competitive range. In Europe, General Motors will have an electric engine rendering called Opel Ampera-e.
General Motors Company (NYSE:GM)’s Chevy Bolt will be able to charge up to 80% in 60 minutes, but that’s nearly double the time it takes to recharge a Tesla Motors Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA) car.
In the future, General Motors Company (NYSE:GM) may use the electric Chevy Bolt to build its version of self-driving vehicle to catch up with Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F), Tesla and others. General Motors recently invested $500 million in modern taxi service provider Lyft as part of its investment in driverless ride-hailing sector.
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the successful nationwide unveiling of its high-performance motorcycle - the
F77, Ultraviolette Automotive Pvt. Ltd., an innovator in sustainable mobility,
announced that it had received an additional investment of Rs 30 Crore from TVS
Motor Company. This investment is part
of its latest round (Series B) of funding.
accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles in India, Ultraviolette Automotive
set-out to build India’s first high-performance electric motorcycle – the F77,
three years ago. The company unveiled the pre-production version of the F77 in
November 2019, setting new benchmarks in the Indian EV industry, and is now
gearing up towards launching the motorcycle in the market.
F77 is high-end technology, and a high performance-oriented motorcycle built
with principles used in the aviation industry - right from the advanced
engineering simulations, multi-level safety systems to the design identity of
the motorcycle. The F77 is a smart and connected electric motorcycle that comes
with remote diagnostics over-the-air (OTA) upgrades, regenerative braking,
multiple ride modes, bike tracking, ride diagnostics and a whole lot of other
Ultraviolette F77 will first be rolled out next year with expanding national
availability planned in phases.
Bolt, India’s largest EV charging network, announced the launch of Bolt Lite, India’s first safest, smartest and most affordable universal EV charging socket.
Renon India, one of India’s leading energy storage companies, has launched its swappable smart batteries, Groot, for electric 2-wheelers. The Li-ion battery pack for low and medium speed EVs is built ...
MG Motor India introduced ‘MG Service on Wheels’ initiative to provide customers with car repair and maintenance services from the comfort of their homes. This service outreach programme reinforces th...


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Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta, Facebook’s new parent company, has become the latest in a mass migration out of Democrat-controlled California that’s headed for Republican-controlled Texas. The company declared that it signed “the largest ever [lease] in downtown Austin.”
According to KVUE, the lease does indeed set a record for the largest in Downtown Austin, and takes up more square footage than the entire Frost Bank Tower.
The Austin Business Journal explains that the lease includes all office space available in the city’s tallest skyscraper, which is still in development.
The report adds that the move brings several months of speculation about the move to an end, with the company committing to leasing “the entire commercial half of Sixth and Guadalupe” in addition to “the 66-story high-rise” that when finished will become Austin’s tallest building. The company has also promised hundreds of jobs will be available in Texas’ capital.
The lease currently includes 589,000 square feet covering 33 existing floors of the skyscraper.
Katherine Shappley, head of Meta’s Austin office as well as CP for commerce customer success, said that when Facebook arrived in Austin 10 years ago they had just seven employees, but has already grown to over 2,000.
In July, Facebook’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that the company would be starting a “metaverse” initiative, and so redubbed the parent company’s name as “Meta.” According to an announcement the site made on Twitter, Metaverse is meant to become “a place where we’ll play and connect in 3D… the next chapter of social connection.”
Zuckerberg said at the time that his famous and powerful website “is an iconic social media brand, but… doesn’t encompass everything we do.” The tech mogul argued that “build[ing] technology to connect people” is “in [the company’s] DNA,” and that the new metaverse is a step toward pushing “the next frontier just like social networking was when we… started.”
Meta is just part of a string of California based companies that has partly or entirely shifted its operations to Texas. Elon Musk for example, announced a move of nearly all of Tesla’s operations to the Lone Star State in September. Musk cited California’s burdensome restrictions as a reason for the move.
Author: Angela Wood


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This week OPPO launched its much anticipated F3 Plus smartphone with dual cameras, Xiaomi launched Redmi 4A, Gionee launched A1. Let’s take a look at all the announcements and launches that took place this week.
Continue reading “Weekly Roundup – OPPO F3 Plus, OnePlus 3T Midnight Black, Xiaomi Redmi 4A, Gionee A1 and more”
Sony Mobile has officially announced the Xperia L1, its latest smartphone in the ‘L series’. It packs a 5.5-inch HD display with narrow side bezels, is powered by a quad-core MediaTek MT6737T processor, runs on Android 7.0 (Nougat), has a 13-megapixel rear and a 5-megapixel front-facing camera.
Continue reading “Sony Xperia L1 with 5.5-inch display, Android 7.0, 4G LTE announced”


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After launching exclusively in Brazil last year, Instagram is now bringing ‘Reels’, its TikTok clone, to France and Germany.
‘Reels’ allows users to record short, 15-second video clips, set to music or other audio, and then share them on the platform. Much like TikTok, Reels offers a set of editing tools that make it easier to shoot creative videos.
After launching exclusively in Brazil last year, Instagram announced it learned from this early test to rethink some key aspects to the Reels experience. Today the company announced it is launching a revamped version in France and Germany.
One of the main learnings is that the Instagram community wanted the ability to make sharing Reels easier and broader. In the original version, Reels could only be shared via Instagram Stories. In the revamped version, Reels are now fully integrated into the Instagram app, with their own tab next to the grid icon.
Reels are now also available in the Explore tab for public accounts. All in all, the new version offers more exposure for Reels and their creators as it gains its place withing the main Instagram app.
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Download the Sterling e-Treasury Secure Browser
Download the Sterling e-Treasury Token Client
Consumer Loan Offer Scam Alert:
Please note that Sterling National Bank does not offer consumer loans through online marketplaces. Beware of loan offers on social media or online ads, scammers are impersonating employees of legitimate loan companies and banks. Learn More
As retailers come to grips with the “new normal” amid the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, many are looking to mobile payments and other “no-touch” alternative payment options for the first time to protect their employees and customers. This trend comes on the heels of WHO guidance in March 2020 that retailers use contactless payments whenever possible to help control the spread of disease.
Of course, prior to the crisis, the use of these technologies was already on the rise thanks to mobile wallets and other digital payment applications. But their required use during the nation’s social distancing and mitigation protocols is expected to have a significant long-term impact on businesses.
In fact, according to Accenture, the move to “digital-first” payments may present businesses with unique opportunities that they hadn’t previously considered, from phasing out cash and check payments entirely in favor of digital payment systems to shifting away from brick-and-mortar storefronts to remote and e-commerce presences.


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MicoStrategy has announced it has purchased another 4,167 BTC for around $190.5 million.
The purchases occurred between Feb. 15 and Monday, April 4, according to an official press release.
The Virginia-based firm paid an average price of $45,714 per bitcoin.
The purchases were made through the company’s MacroStrategy subsidiary, according to the company.
Mark Palmer, an equity research analyst at BTIG, told his clients the cash used to purchase the bitcoin likely comes from the proceeds of MicroStrategy’s recent $205 million loan from Silvergate Bank.
MicroStrategy now holds a total of 129,218 bitcoins, valued at about $6 billion at the current price of about $46,742.
CEO Michael Saylor has stated many times that MicroStrategy plans on holding for the long term and has no plans on selling.
The bitcoin acquired across the 49-day period averages to 85 a day, up from the 20 it acquired a day between Dec. 30. and Jan. 31. In an earlier statement, the company indicated it hadn’t bought any bitcoin in the first half of February.


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Cricket Wireless opens in West Columbia
West Columbia, SC (Angelica Iglesias) – A new Cricket Wireless store opened at 1306 Charleston Highway in West Columbia Friday, June 16.
The ribbon cutting ceremony took place from 10:30 am to 11:00 am, but the store celebrated their grand opening until they closed at 7:00 pm with food, beverages, music, a bouncy house for kids, and even a chance to win a 50" LG Smart TV. They also had a grand opening special for a free Samsung Galaxy Amp2 with activation.
This is Sean Kim’s sixth Cricket Wireless store in the area. He is excited to expand his business and to continue to support the Lexington County community.
Check out the ribbon cutting ceremony video below:


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As part of its effort to give Stories a push, Facebook is testing a layout for the Stories composer that makes it easier to use.
Facebook is working on a new layout for its Stories composer to more easily add to a story. The new Facebook Stories composer layout, spotted this week by Jane Manchun Wong allows users to add Text, Stickers, Effects, or to Draw simply by tapping at bottom of the screen.
Also, there also another option to apply a “Studio Effect,” and the right-hand sidebar offers shortcuts to the adding specific Stickers – GIFs, Feelings, Location, Tag Friends, or Music.
The new layout seems a lot easier to use, as it adds many more options right from the main view.
Facebook is working on a bottom bar in Stories composer for adding Text, Stickers, Effects and Draw. The top right buttons will be shortcuts for adding the specific stickers
Facebook Stories composer will also provide option to apply Studio Effect pic.twitter.com/sOX1CM87kb
— Jane Manchun Wong (@wongmjane) May 20, 2019
The test is clearly part of Facebook’s continuous efforts to make Stories a much more significant part of its platform and people’s daily sharing of content.
While 500 million people using the feature daily is not a failure by any means, it’s not quite what Facebook had planned for Stories.
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Bruce Willis' wife Emma Heming-Willis has now denied a UK tabloid story that claimed he was going to get into a legal fight with Apple over iTunes content rights.
Sony Xperia Z3 and official Magnetic Dock review
Review of CastleStorm: Definitive Edition for Xbox One
The latest news on Windows Phone
Windows Phone generic
Download the Technical Preview


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With the cooperation with the US start-up ClimaCell, users of Porsche’s free ROADS app will receive detailed information on the air quality on their route. ClimaCell specializes in hyper-local and hyper-accurate weather forecasts by using hundreds of millions of sensors worldwide to analyze the weather and air quality.
ROADS uses a simple traffic light system to indicate the current level of pollution on the route being driven. This indication will allow drivers to decide if to drive with their windows down or up, and to plan the best places to stop along the way based on the air quality at exact locations.
In addition, ROADS now offers its users the possibility to organize joint trips as a group.
The free ROADS app has existed since 2019 and now has more than 100,000 community members in over 60 countries. The app is available for iOS devices on the App Store and supports Apple CarPlay.
The cooperation between Porsche and ClimaCell was created as part of StartUp Autobahn, the largest open innovation platform in Europe. It brings young start-ups from the tech and mobility scene in touch with established companies. Porsche has recently extended its partnership with the platform for a further three years.


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Since the COVID-19 epidemic, the world has struggled to comply with the new rules that various nations and regions have set for the processing of imports and exports. Strict regulations brought about by the second COVID-19 wave resulted in a number of delays in the customs clearance of imported goods. Due to the setbacks experienced since March 2020, it was clear that certain processes needed to be modified to address the changing environment. As a result, the Sri Lanka Ports Authority took action to accept electronic payments for the customs clearance of imported goods in an effort to speed up the clearance process.
However, the Sri Lanka Ports Authority took action in the middle of December 2020 to protect workers and ensure that operations would continue at a normal pace with cooperation from all three ports. The SLPA was also designated an essential service until the end of 2020, which has made it easier to continue operations and deliver services.
Importers can now easily make payments online from the comfort of their home or office without having to make manual payments, which speeds up the process. Electronic payments are used to clear imported goods. Many people who are eagerly expecting their items will benefit from the electronic payment for clearing imported goods in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and the alternative measures that must be adopted to advance economic prosperity. It is now possible to quickly and easily clear FCL and LCL freight through the various clearance agencies by using the SLPA.
The ASYCUDA (Automated System for Customs Data) CUSDEC (Customs Declaration) must be prepared in 4 copies (Warrant copy, Delivery Copy, Exchange Copy, Party’s Copy) as part of the cargo clearing process. CUSDEC can be processed at either the Importers office or the Customs Long Room (Katunayake), depending on who has been granted access to the DTI (Direct Trader Input) facility.
To minimize the inconvenience of getting your imported products cleared to you, select Transco Cargo’s customs clearance and brokerage service with doorstep delivery services.


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- Apr 12, 2001
Richard believes there will be fewer early adopters purchasing the latest and greatest devices going forward, though it's unclear if the slowdown would be restricted to Europe or if it could pressure iPhone sales in the U.S. as well. Regardless, many recent rumors suggest Apple is working on a cheaper iPhone to address some of these concerns.The shift has been especially severe in Europe, where more customers are keeping the same phone when they switch carriers. Amid a slumping economy and mounting competition, France Telecom has seen prices drop 25 percent over the past three years, squeezing profit margins and its stock price. Its cheapest plan now provides unlimited calls and texting and 3 gigabytes of data for about 20 euros ($26) a month -- about half the price of T- Mobile USA Inc.'s $50 plan, which is touted as a U.S. bargain.
Article Link: French Carrier Executive Claims Frugal Customers Hurting iPhone Sales


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- 1 min read
Cristiano Ronaldo to kick off India business of fragrance brand CR7 with Myntra
With beauty and fragrances being a popular category on Myntra, CR7 aims to access and reach out to football fans across the country. The brand, launched in 2017, is now present in more than 40 countries and caters to people in the age group of 14-40…
With beauty and fragrances being a popular category on Myntra, the brand aims to access and reach out to football fans across the country. Myntra released a video, featuring Ronaldo, to announce the partnership.
CR7, a brand launched in 2017, is now present in more than 40 countries and caters to people in the age group of 14-40.
Sharon Pais, chief business officer, Myntra said, "We are extremely happy to enable shoppers in India to access the CR7 range of fragrances for the first time through Myntra. Cristiano enjoys a huge fan following in the country, and the launch of CR7 is set to create a furore amongst his fans, and beauty and fragrance enthusiasts. Onboarding a brand promoted by the legend himself with Myntra’s reach and wide base of fashion-forward customers makes a powerful equation slated for success."
Mayank Bahety, director, Beauty Concepts, said, "It gives us immense pleasure in getting a brand like CR7 by iconic football star Cristiano Ronaldo to India. The brand has something in store for all its fans, and sports enthusiasts, as there are fragrances for every mood and occasion. With CR7, Ronaldo brings his personal experiences to the table with power -packed scents. The range is available online for the first time in India on Myntra for all fans to grab fabulous scents. Together with our partner Myntra, we will aim to boost the brand’s online presence and reach while tapping into the huge existing consumer base of Myntra."


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Venture and growth equity investor SAIF Partners has picked 1.1 per cent stake in public listed automotive lighting & signalling equipments and rear view mirror maker Fiem Industries Ltd through an open market transaction on Monday.
It bought the stake from a public individual investor for around Rs 11.3 crore ($1.7 million), bulk deals data shows.
SAIF that has been investing in the country for over a decade and prides itself for having taken a bunch of private firms to the public market, has built a fairly active public equities portfolio in the past. It had particularly deployed a lot of capital soon after the Indian stock markets crashed after hitting a peak in the last bull run that ended in January 2008.
Even as it kept sealing a one-off deal in the public market space, it has been focusing more on venture investments for the last couple of years.
However, it did make a PIPE (private investment in public enterprise in industry parlance) last year when it picked 10 per cent stake in KDDL, a maker of watch components and the parent of luxury watch retailer Ethos.
Some of its marquee investments include Just Dial and MakeMyTrip, firms that it backed before they went public.
Fiem Industries, among the first company in India to introduce LED lights in two wheelers, clocked revenues of Rs 825 crore with net profit of Rs 42.4 crore for the year ended March 31, 2015.
It set up a new manufacturing facility in Gujarat for manufacturing automotive lighting and plastic parts that went into commercial production early this year. It is also expanding its capacity in Tapukara plant (Rajasthan) for manufacturing of LED lighting products.
According to March 22 report by broking firm CD Equisearch, Fiem has outperformed the two wheeler industry in terms of revenue growth in the first nine months of the current financial year backed by the strong volume growth of its key clients- Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India and TVS Motors, contributing about 70 per cent of the company’s revenue.
CD Equisearch has an accumulate rating on the stock with a target price of Rs 895 per share. Fiem scrip declined 1.96 per cent to end at Rs 811.25 a share on BSE in a weak Mumbai market on Monday.
The two wheeler market has seen a slowdown as rural demand shrank in the wake of two succsesive years of poor monsoon that feeds the agricultural sector. Investors are betting on revival in demand for two-wheelers, especially motorcycles, this year on.


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Southampton-based port-centric logistics firm Import Services has been chosen to operate DP World London Gateway’s shared user facility. It will take on a ‘significant portion’ of the 386,000ft² common user facility on the London Gateway Logistics Park, which is due to open in the second quarter of 2015. It will provide devanning, cross-docking, storage, pick-and-pack, labelling and distribution from the site on a pay-as-you-go basis. Mike Thomas, client services director at Import Services, said: “Operating the common user facility will […]
Construction on a £300m fourth berth at the London Gateway logistics hub will commence next month, as owner DP World attempts to increase supply chain resilience and boost capacity.
Allport Cargo Services is to relocate its less-than-container load (LCL) deconsolidation service to the port of Felixstowe after signing a three-year contract with PD Portcentric Logistics.
The FTA has welcomed proposals from local government secretary Eric Pickles that would give businesses the power to force a review of local parking restrictions they are unhappy with. Under the proposals, which went to consultation earlier this month, individuals or businesses would be able to force a council review of parking rules and enforcement by raising a petition signed by at least 50 people, or at least 10% of the residents or businesses in the affected local area. Councils […]


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It was a bombshell announcement when Carl C. Icahn disclosed late on Wednesday that he had taken a 9.98 percent stake in Netflix. The question now is, what happens next?
Mr. Icahn is a master of activist investing. Since 1994, he has conducted 106 campaigns at 88 companies, according to the data provider Factset SharkRepellent. His modus operandi is to make an investment, then agitate for change or a quick sale. If that does not work, he will nominate a slate of directors to the board to do the same.
And when Mr. Icahn loses, he does not go away, instead returning to run successive election campaigns as he has done with investments in Lionsgate and the Oshkosh Corporation. Of late, Mr. Icahn has put a twist on this game plan by actually stepping up and buying his target companies, as in the case of CVR Resources.
The Netflix investment may follow this pattern.
As an initial matter, Netflix does have defenses against Mr. Icahn. It has a staggered board, which means that only three of its directors will be up for election at the next annual meeting; it would take two full years to acquire a majority of the board. Netflix has typically held its meeting in June, and nominations for opposing directors will not even be accepted until Feb. 5, 2013.
So, Netflix can fend off a complete takeover of its board. But this is probably not a big deal for Mr. Icahn, since he usually only nominates a minority of directors to avoid taking full control and the legal issues it raises. Instead, he puts a minority of directors on the board to agitate for change and put public pressure on the majority to sell or restructure the company. It often works.
But given that Netflix is not even expecting these nominations until February and that the meeting will not occur until June or July, Mr. Icahn may be hoping he can cash out his investment before a proxy contest is necessary.
Mr. Icahn mentioned in his filing that “Netflix may hold significant strategic value for a variety of significantly larger companies that are engaging in more direct competition with one another due to the evolution of the Internet, mobile, and traditional industry.”
This is talk of a sale — probably Mr. Icahn’s first choice and what he will push for over the next few months.
Once a shareholder exceeds the 5 percent ownership threshold, the position must be disclosed within 10 business days to the Securities and Exchange Commission. During that time, Mr. Icahn acquired shares to just below the 10 percent threshold.
Netflix does not have a takeover defense plan, or poison pill, so Mr. Icahn could have acquired even more shares. He probably did not because of the short swing profit rules under Section 16 of the Exchange Act. The rules, which are intended to prevent insider trading, stipulate that once a shareholder exceeds the 10 percent level, the shareholder must disgorge profits made from the sale and purchase of securities in any six-month period. By staying under this threshold, Mr. Icahn keeps the flexibility to sell this stake quickly without penalty.
By the way, expect Netflix to quickly adopt a poison pill — but not to keep Mr. Icahn from buying more shares. Rather, any takeover defense plan adopted by Netflix would probably contain expansive provisions intended to prevent Mr. Icahn from coordinating actions with other shareholders or otherwise risk being seen as acting together and activating the poison pill.
Thus far, all of this is standard operating procedure for Mr. Icahn.
Where it may be different, though, is with the people who run Netflix and the company’s quite volatile stock price.
Reed Hastings, the chief executive of Netflix, has previously stated that he believes a chief executive should run the company without board interference. That is at odds with the view of those who believe companies should be run, or at least heavily supervised, by boards.
Not only does Mr. Hastings have a strong view of the chief executive’s role, he is Silicon Valley royalty. Of late, however, his crown has been tarnished by the large misstep he made in trying to split Netflix’s mail and Internet businesses. Mr. Hastings has also just departed the Microsoft board.
Even before Mr. Icahn arrived on the scene, Mr. Hastings was probably feeling besieged. It will be interesting to see how he reacts to Mr. Icahn’s investment, but the prospect of a headstrong chief executive resisting Mr. Icahn’s entreaties is nothing new.
What may be different is that Netflix really is a growth stock. Mr. Icahn often invests in biotechnology or in companies with long track records that have had operational or business problems. Netflix is a company with a lot of potential, and its stock price has reflected that in its volatility. It is not really a troubled company, though it may need better management.
Because Netflix is a growth story, its board is likely to say the company’s share price is unduly low to justify a sale. The shares were trading at about $70 before Mr. Icahn’s announcement, less than a quarter of the $300-a-share high in 2011.
But the company’s shareholdings are about to turn over as arbitrageurs race in to acquire Netflix stock in anticipation of a sale. Hedge funds already had a big stake in Netflix; one fund, Blue Ridge Capital, held a 4.5 percent position as of June 30, according to public filings. Mr. Icahn is counting on these funds to come to his aid. And insiders, including Mr. Hastings, hold just 6.76 percent of the company, according to Factset SharkRepellent.
What we could be seeing is a replay of the Air Products bid for Airgas, where a board just says no to what it believes to be an undervalued sale, even if a bidder does emerge and even if its shareholders want a sale to happen. And, as in the Netflix situation, there is a chief executive and founder who firmly believes in the company and probably wants anything but a sale.
Mr. Icahn realizes this and is likely hoping for a quick sale to sidestep such a battle. He may still start a proxy contest, and I would not be surprised if that happened. But he could also adopt a softer tactic like a withhold-the-vote campaign. Netflix does not have a policy requiring directors to resign if they do not receive a majority of shareholder votes, but such a campaign would still put pressure on the board. Again, this would be standard practice for Mr. Icahn.
Ultimately, the question will come down to whether a number can be assigned to Netflix’s value at this moment, particularly since it has such rich opportunities and only very recent glory days.
Given the uncertainty, and the board’s ability to just say no for years, Mr. Icahn may well run his usual campaign, but it may not go as quickly as he hopes.
Steven M. Davidoff, a professor at the Michael E. Moritz College of Law at Ohio State University, is the author of “Gods at War: Shotgun Takeovers, Government by Deal and the Private Equity Implosion.” E-mail: email@example.com | Twitter: @StevenDavidoff
Despite all the hoopla about an “open data” society, many consumers are being kept in the dark.


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With a sudden rise in winter sports infrastructure, the winter sports market in China has officially taken off, surpassing 300 million Chinese participants in January 2022. Chinese consumers’ interest in winter sports is greatly aligned with the promotion of winter sports and the construction of ski resorts by the Chinese government. Since 2015, officials like President Xi JinPing have pledged to increase engagement in winter sports in preparation for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. Despite being a late entrant to the winter sports industry, China has built over 800 ski resorts and 650 skating rinks with increased funding for the development of the ice and snow sports industry forecast to hit RMB 1 trillion by 2025 (USD 157.2 billion). Consumers who are interested in the growing popularity of winter sports are mostly in the millennials and Gen Z age groups, whom businesses must actively target. With the driving demand for winter sports, domestic and foreign winter sports brands in China can leverage this growth and tap into a brand-new market.
How Chinese winter sports brands compete with foreign brands
Chinese winter sports brands in China with a direct connection to the Olympics have a better position to market their sportswear and equipment for Chinese consumers. For example, in 2017, Anta officially signed a contract to become the sportswear partner for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. With the expected success of the global sporting event, Anta boosted its profile with an RMB 31.8 billion (USD 5 billion) acquisition of Amer Sports in 2019. Amer Sports is the leading Finnish sportswear company with internationally well-known brands such as Atomic ski equipment, Salomon ski boots, Peak Performance, and more. A few years ago, and to this day, Anta foresaw that this opportunity would allow them to expand into the upcoming winter sports and outdoor brand market.
In March 2021, Anta launched its “Keep Moving” campaign in collaboration with freestyle skier, Eileen Gu, who has just won her first gold medal at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. The marketing campaign appealed to many Chinese women, empowering them to build self-confidence in sports. That same year, Anta opened “Snow Land,” an interactive exhibition in Shanghai’s TX Huaihai and Wanda Plaza that gave local new-coming consumers a taste of experiencing winter activities.
Anta is not the only sportswear company that is delving into the winter sports market. China’s leading sports apparel brand, Li-Ning, recently released its first snowboard sportswear series for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. The new collection, which has just become available on February 4, is a mix of contemporary fashion and traditional culture that will resonate with many Chinese consumers’ social identities. Anta and Li-Ning have been expanding their territory to create stronger ties between national pride (Guochao – 国潮) and brand identity in their marketing strategies, which many Chinese consumers highly favor due to a sense of connection.
Although international winter sports brands in China are well known for their high-quality equipment, local Chinese equipment brands have grown in popularity among Chinese consumers for their low prices.
Foreign winter sports brands appeal to Chinese winter sport athletes
As more Chinese consumers take part in and explore winter sports, foreign winter sports brands are entering China with the help of their Chinese partners, penetrating the winter sports market. An example is the Japanese sportswear brand, Descente, which entered the Chinese market through a joint venture with Anta. In November 2021, Descente opened its first global experience center with a ski-themed retail space for consumers to experience, the first of its brand concept spaces. Its innovative shopping methods, combined with advanced technology, allow Chinese customers to integrate fully into the brand’s experience.
Besides Anta’s joint venture with Descente, the German luxury ski wear company, Bogner, has also established a joint venture with the Chinese apparel group, Bosideng, to increase their digital presence targeting younger fashion lovers. Several international winter sports apparel brands, such as Burton and Fusalp have expanded into the Chinese market and supplying the rising demand for ski fashion.
Other foreign winter sports brands, such as Head, Fischer, Bauer, Rossignol, and Tecnica, have established themselves in China’s market, contributing to the promotion of winter sports. International ski sportswear brand Tecnica hopes to increase its shares in the Chinese winter sports industry by showing Chinese consumers products that fulfill the experience of the Italian-mountain lifestyle. Other winter sports apparel brands spotted in the market include Spyder, 361 Degrees, Nobaday, and X-Bionic.
How foreign winter sports brands in China are leveraging the olympics hype
The Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics has amplified the consumption rate of purchases for domestic sports, fueling international winter sports brands’ desire to invest in China’s winter sports market. Despite the growing popularity of winter sports in China, customers may only regularly take part if they are confident that their experiences will be enjoyable. Some ways brands can play a role in providing comfort in Chinese consumers’ experiences are through:
- Ease in purchasing/renting gear
- Quality and standards of classes
- Convenience in booking
- Social activities
In October 2021, American ice hockey equipment brand, TRUE, opened a “one-stop” outlet store in an ice sports center in Beijing where teenagers can shop for all their equipment needs in one place. For Chinese beginners, buying gear for the first time, having such a store layout with multiple offerings can ease their worries and allow them to focus on enjoying the sport itself.
The Chinese winter sports industry is still a beginner’s market, with several challenges for participating parties and brands alike. With many individuals exploring winter sports, brands will become the first entry point for consumers’ knowledge of winter sports. Compared to other countries with skilled athletes, such as Switzerland, China’s late arrival into the winter sports industry poses one of the most significant hurdles in developing a long-standing close-knit ski culture, but it is also an opportunity for brands to create their own community hubs. Winter sports brands in China can promote and instill a sense of community among first-time Chinese participants in winter sports.
With the rise in orders and volume for ski equipment, the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics will play a key role in speeding up China’s ski industry and determining the success of winter sports brands in China. For winter sports brands to ride this wave, they must understand the key targets of the Chinese industry and how the sport has transformed from a professional event to a fun, stylish form of entertainment.
Winter sports trending on Chinese social media
Chinese social media users’ online presence in Xiaohongshu, Weibo, and WeChat shows anticipation and popularity of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. On Xiaohongshu, the search results for skiing and snowboarding increased by 214% in November 2021. Among those topics, trending is “Xiaohongshu snow season,” with users sharing advice on the best places to hit the slopes, best resorts to visit, and favorite winter sports apparel to wear while skiing. The recently launched skiwear collaboration series between Descente and Japanese fashion designer, Kazuki, has also become widely trending among netizens. Descente’s attempt to target the younger Chinese consumer base with fashionable but functional winter sports apparel has gained traction on Xiaohongshu.
What winter sports brands should know about the Chinese market
To conclude, the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics hype has launched Chinese citizens into a newfound interest in winter sports. Even after the Olympics passes, Chinese consumers’ passion for winter sports will stay. For winter sports brands in China to leverage the winter sports market fully, these are the main ideas to keep in mind:
- Winter sports brands in China must capitalize on the demand for winter outdoor activities by making a lasting impression on first-time consumers with a convenient, enjoyable experience, specifically by building a ski community culture
- For convenient entry into China’s winter sports markets, foreign winter sports brands can strategically market to enter with local Chinese winter sports brands
- Leading winter sports brands can follow Anta’s footsteps in increasing their brand exposure by expanding into other outdoor segments beyond their specializations to appeal to a broader consumer base
- Chinese consumers are viewing winter sports as a shift from a professional event to an enjoyable recreational activity
- By focusing on functional yet stylish sportswear equipment and collaborating with designers and artists, winter sports brands in China can gain visibility among younger Chinese consumers, who are the primary targets
- Foreign winter sports brands in China, their marketing success, will come from successfully guiding Chinese newcomers’ expectations and experiences of winter sports
- Domestic winter sports brands in China with connection to the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics will be better able to position their brand connecting consumers’ bridge national pride and brand identity


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App for That
The FDA is ordering Google-backed 23andMe to stop selling its personalized DNA tests because it doubts the products are backed by science. [USA Today]
If we’re judging by follower counts, likes and comments then ads on Instagram are working. [Digiday]
Flipboard is reportedly close to securing a $50 million funding round. [Fortune]
Blackberry’s COO and CMO have been fired, which is probably an early Christmas gift for them. [Business Insider]
Could Best Buy’s #VineinLine campaign on Twitter for Black Friday lead to people recording their fights and using the hashtag to promote them? Hopefully not! [AllThingsD]
Likes on Likes on Likes
Like throwing a Real Housewives cast party without any wine, Instagram today released a version for Windows Phones that is devoid of any useful features.
First, the newly released app doesn’t let users snap pictures, rather they have to be uploaded from the phone’s camera roll. Another key feature missing is the ability to upload videos, so we’re just going to have imagine what your slowly disappearing piece of french toast looks like. The Verge notes that users can’t tag people or view that little-used map of your geotagged pictures.
Sex Drugs and Code
Sometimes, Instagram users’ habits can be baffling. Nobody liked that photo of your parents’ dog, but 45 people immediately felt the urge to double tap yet another cloud or sunset pic? Whatever.
But the folks at Curalate have figured out what goes into the perfect Instagram pic, VentureBeat reports. It turns out that to get more likes, you need “blueish images with a lot of background, texture, and light,” and one object in focus.
Love in the Time of Algorithms
Sorry, dope fiends. Instagram is no longer allowing searches for terms associated with selling drugs through the app, the BBC reports.
Normally, Instagram only reprimands users for drug-related content if their posts are reported as being inappropriate, the BBC says. The company believes it’s “impractical and invasive” to search for, say, kids at music festivals pushing molly via hashtag.
No longer considered a sad tool for the socially inept, online dating is more popular than ever. From Match.com to Tinder to the extra-perplexing LoveRoom, we’re all abandoning our hopes for romantic comedy meet-cutes in favor of finding our soul mates via impersonal electronic devices.
So it doesn’t come as too much of a surprise that one pair of betrothed millennials met via Instagram. She posted a picture of some lake in Oregon, ABC News reports. He, a complete and total stranger, commented on it.
So, it appears Instagram wasn’t lying about showing ads on your feed! The first one appeared this morning in the form of Michael Kors photo that showed shiny watch and, uh, some colorful maroons. In what could be a pin from Gwyneth Paltrow’s secret board on Pinterest, it appeared on some users’ accounts (we didn’t see it) with the requisite Sponsored tag.
Buoyed by strong iPhone sales, Apple reported a $7.5 billion profit on $37.5 billion of revenue in the fourth quarter. [TechCrunch]
Instagram has un-banned racy hashtags #thinspo, #underboob and #dildo. Sadly, #pen1s still appears to be blocked. [The Data Pack]
One Kings Lane is rolling out its own in-house line of bedding and towels. A shower curtain will set you back $69. [Wall Street Journal]
Google Glass owners will be available to swap out their current devices for a newer version, which now fits over prescription lenses. Also, you can invite three friends to the Explorer program. [Ars Technica]
There’s a “Social Media All Stars” event at Disneyland and Grumpy Cat will be there, so avoid the area on Nov. 5. [Laughing Squid]
Jesus died for our selfies
Starting next week, Instagram will no longer be free of ads. In a blog post, the Facebook-owned company announced today that it’s going to bother its American users with ads in their timelines.
Conventional wisdom dictates that everyone hates selfies. You have to roll your eyes when your high school frenemy pops up, mugging adorably, in an Instagram pic with some terrible “dance like no one’s watching” caption.
But people keep posting them, and liking them, and commenting on them, despite widespread kvetching about the selfie phenomenon. Like pumpkin spice lattes or the Kardashians, selfies are too popular to really be as reviled as we like to pretend they are.
Windows phones used to be the last reprieve from brunch photos, but not so much anymore: an Instagram app will soon be released. [The Verge]
Netflix had itself a nice third quarter. Its subscriber base pushed past HBO’s with 31 million, the company raked in $1.1 billion in revenue and is mulling the idea of expanding into original moves. [Variety]
eBay is a hotbed for other tech companies looking to poach a well-trained CFO. [Wall Street Journal]
Speaking of both of those things, former Netflix CFO Barry McCarthy has decamped to mysterious startup Clinkle for a COO spot. [GigaOM]
Somehow, five million people downloaded BlackBerry’s BBM app yesterday so that’s neat. [CNet]


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It’s no secret that people don’t use their smart thermostats. They’re not really that simple to program, and most homeowners just put the device in ‘hold’ mode. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Sprinkle in some behavioral analytics, some smart set-and-forget options, and the ability to control it from your iPhone -- and now we’re talking.
Or at least that’s the word on the
street carpeted conference floor at GridWeek 2011. Opower, which sends its energy reports to millions of homes, announced a partnership with Honeywell to marry the wireless thermostat with analytics. Currently, Ogi Kavazovic, Vice President of Strategy and Marketing at Opower, acknowledges that, for the average person, smart thermostats “are too much work for too little gain.” Add in some of Opower’s analytics, however, and then it is transformed into “automated behavior,” he says.
Honeywell’s web-based programmable thermostat will integrate Opower’s software, which will measure, analyze and report a home’s electricity use. The companies will each be able to leverage each other’s utility relationships to get the product out there.
The move is no small deal. Until now, Opower had championed the hardware-less route to utilities’ hearts. Providing reports and alerts via snail mail, email, web portals and phones has garnered the company dozens and dozens of utility contracts.
But by layering their offerings, ranging from just mailed reports up through hardware solutions, Opower is focusing on how to provide services for the next generation of utilities that are looking down the road in the next 10 years. But don’t think Opower is switching gears away from its bread and butter. “We anticipate a whole new level of adoption for our core product,” says Kavazovic. “We’re developing a new front end for the utility.”
Opower isn’t the only player in home energy management company that has partnered with Honeywell. The building management giant also partnered up with EnergyHub, which has both hardware and software solutions for the home, last year. But Opower, like other companies, has also diversified into the software-as-service business and in that space is hardware-agnostic, so expect to see more announcements in that space soon. (But not during GridWeek.)
Opower and EnergyHub are not alone in stratifying their solutions. Some other players, like Tendril, have already moved away from pilots that always include a hardware component to full deployments that might not put in a single thermostat in the first few years.
The news from Tendril out of GridWeek is that the company is partnering with home energy management company ecobee. It’s also seeing increasing interest from utilities, not just for its Energize software, but also for hardware -- where it makes sense. “We’re parachuting in to help segment the market” for utility customers, said Adrian Tuck, CEO of Tendril.
The partnership with ecobee to integrate its smart thermostat on Tendril’s platform, Tendril Connect, adds to a growing list of partners, including Whirlpool and Siemens, that Tendril is working with. Tendril has always believed that for some consumers, control is necessary -- and not just information. While utilities might not buy smart meters for two million homes, they might do so for the 250,000 that enroll in a demand response program, or for those who have the biggest loads that could be curbed with more detailed information and control.
The thermostat news doesn’t end there. Sprint announced on Tuesday that the Proliphix IMT-550 thermostat will now be available with Sprint’s wireless connectivity. The product is for small and medium commercial, with a focus on national chains. Opower and Honeywell also noted in their announcement that their partnership could be extended into the small commercial space.
Some Sprint retail stores have also been testing SmartLabs’ Insteon products, which use a mesh system. Insteon, which helped some Sprint retail stores save nearly 30 percent on energy bills, will also now have Sprint connectivity built into its products.
Although small commercial is a tough nut to crack, everyone seems keen to give it a go. Silver Spring Networks also announced on Tuesday at GridWeek that its latest version of CustomerIQ is now available whether or not customers have a smart meter. The updated platform is also now available to small and medium commercial customers.
There is still a long way to go just to be able to provide people with some basic view of their consumption. A survey released by Silver Spring Networks on Monday found more than half the people with smart meters and access to data looked at it more than once a month. But some progressive utilities are already looking further out -- envisioning the real savings that will come when the right customers are paired with the right technology.
And if you think accessing the home and getting people to engage is just a pipe dream for a bevy of startups, consider this: Comverge is on the verge of signing up its millionth residential customer for demand response through utility programs.
More from GridWeek to come, including trends in segmentation (it’s true: not only are consumers not just ratepayers anymore, they're not even one readily identifiable entity).


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At 10 o’clock on a Friday morning, the huge Zara store in Chelsea is buzzing. There has just been a delivery, and customers clearly know it. The shop has only just opened, but already it is humming with mothers and daughters, Chelsea women in expensive boots, a twentysomething in a beanie clocking an on-trend brocade peplum top, and a sixtysomething woman trying on ankle boots with her husband.
Once, these women would have been picking up their work jackets and weekend knits at M&S. Now they do it at Zara. While M&S recently reported a 10 per cent fall in


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Franchising, retail, business
The Co-op, Aldi and Lidl are outpacing the UK’s big four supermarkets in the run-up to the crucial Christmas period, according to new data.
Co-op grew market share 4.5 per cent in the 12 weeks to 2 December while he UK’s largest supermarket chain Tesco was down 0.1 per cent and Sainsbury’s 0.2 per cent.
Discounters Aldi and Lidl continued to take chunks out of their bigger, more established rivals with 12.2 per cent and 11.2 per cent expansion of market share respectively, a report from Kantar Worldpanel found.
British supermarkets are bracing for record-breaking Christmas sales despite doom and gloom on the high street which has seen hundreds of shops close and thousands of jobs axed.
Sales of seasonal favourites jumped in November with more than one in eight households having already bought a Christmas pudding, while boxed chocolate and Brussel sprout sales have reached £292m and £18m respectively.
Shoppers have been helped by a welcome fall in grocery price inflation from 3.2 per cent to 1.6 per cent, easing the squeeze on housegold budgets.
With Christmas Day falling on a Tuesday, Saturday 22 December is set to be the busiest shopping day of the year, said Kantar’s Fraser McKevitt.
“Because of the way Christmas falls, grocers have an extra trading day this year meaning overall sales in December – up to and including Christmas Eve – could reach £10bn.
“Despite an uncertain political climate taking its toll on consumer confidence, shoppers are still willing to spend that little bit extra on more expensive goods.
“Total premium own-label lines are growing at 5.5 per cent, which could lead to record sales in this price tier of £1.1bn over the 12-week period.”
Overall supermarket sales growth slipped to its slowest pace since March 2017 as consumers made less trips to the shops than they did over the hot summer.
Black Friday – which fell on 23 November – had little impact on supermarkets but saw footfall to entertainment, toy and electrical retailers nearly double.
Westfield shopping centres continued the positive numbers into December with a bumper weekend of 827,000 visitors at its two London locations.
The 7-9 December saw 14 per cent more visitors than on the same weekend last year, owner Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield revealed.
The company is looking forward to an "extremely busy end to the festive period in 2018", said chief marketing officer for Europe, Myf Ryan.
Meanwhile, Marks and Spencer was named top food retailer in a survey on brand loyalty, with 57 per cent of shoppers saying they had always had a positive experience there.
Tesco was second followed by Aldi in third place, the poll by Sodexo Engage found.
Disclaimer per contenuti blog
Questo blog non rappresenta una testata giornalistica in quanto viene aggiornato senza alcuna periodicità. Non può pertanto considerarsi un prodotto editoriale ai sensi della legge n° 62 del 7.03.2001. L'autore non è responsabile per quanto pubblicato dai lettori nei commenti ad ogni post.Verranno cancellati i commenti ritenuti offensivi o lesivi dell’immagine o dell’onorabilità di terzi, di genere spam, razzisti o che contengano dati personali non conformi al rispetto delle norme sulla Privacy. Alcuni testi o immagini inserite in questo blog sono tratte da internet e, pertanto, considerate di pubblico dominio; qualora la loro pubblicazione violasse eventuali diritti d'autore, vogliate comunicarlo via email. Saranno immediatamente rimossi.L'autore del blog non è responsabile dei siti collegati tramite link né del loro contenuto che può essere soggetto a variazioni nel tempo.


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Semenaxryn Male Enhancement Pills Reviews - They guaranteed their pill would increase penis size 26 percent in just 12 weeks. "They were paying $2 a bottle of pills that they were selling for $40. And they were selling one hell of a lot of them," said Larry Warfield, an accountant who helped Arizona investigate a company called C.P. "Primetime Live" tested some Enzyte it purchased in March. The ingredients listed in the product packaging were found in the pills, including ginseng root, ginko biloba and saw palmetto. In some of its public notifications, the FDA has not been shy about naming websites that sell the “enhancement” products in question.
Self pay options and financing is available for local and international candidates. 4-5 carefully selected men undergo this minute outpatient and minimally invasive procedure every week by Dr. Tajkarimi. Visiting a urologist can be a stressful and unfamiliar experience.


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Member Of Multi-State Pharmaceutical Theft Scheme Admits Possession And Sale Of Stolen Goods
NEWARK, N.J. – A Florida man today admitted his role in conspiring to possess a stolen interstate shipment of prescription respiratory medicine manufactured by a subsidiary of Mylan Inc., that was stolen while on route by tractor-trailer from Texas to a customer in Florida, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.
Reynaldo Tapanes, 46, of Miami, Fla., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge William J. Martini to an Information charging him with conspiring to possess the stolen prescription medicine, as well as an additional count of conspiracy to receive and sell stolen L’Oreal hair care products.
On May 3, 2012, Tapanes was charged in a Complaint with conspiracy to deal in stolen goods with Ernesto Romero-Vidal, a/k/a “Bemba,” of Hallandale, Fla.; Rocke R. Lopez-Batista, a/k/a “El Nino;” and Ariel Garcia, of Coral Gables, Fla. Tapanes and Romero-Vidal were charged with conspiracy to receive and sell the stolen L’Oreal hair care products, and Tapanes, Lopez-Batista, and Garcia were charged with conspiracy to possess the stolen Mylan pharmaceuticals. Romero-Vidal and Lopez-Batista were also charged with conspiracy to receive and sell stolen Sandoz prescription respiratory medicine.
Eight other defendants were also charged on May 3, 2012, in two separate Complaints, as part of the same long-term investigation by the FBI into illegal trafficking of pharmaceuticals and other stolen goods.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
On Sept. 8, 2009, a tractor-trailer containing pharmaceutical products manufactured by a subsidiary of Mylan Inc., was stolen in Tampa. Mylan has estimated the value of the stolen pharmaceuticals – which included Ipratropium Bromide Inhalation and Albuterol Sulfate Inhalation Solutions – to have a wholesale acquisition cost (WAC) of approximately $264,000.
Tapanes admitted that from September 2009 through October 2009, he conspired with others to possess the stolen prescription respiratory medicine. On Oct. 20, 2009, Tapanes and a conspirator delivered samples of the stolen prescription medicine to a confidential source in Elizabeth, N.J. Nine days later, Tapanes and a conspirator delivered a tractor-trailer containing the stolen prescription respiratory medicine to the confidential source. Tapanes admitted that he received a payment. Later that same day of $140,000 in cash at the home of one of the conspirators in payment for the sale and delivery of the stolen prescription respiratory medicine.
Tapanes admitted he conspired with others to receive and sell the stolen L’Oreal hair care products. On Oct. 21, 2009, Tapanes and a conspirator delivered the stolen L’Oreal hair care products to a warehouse in Newark. The products had been shipped from Ohio and were destined for a customer in Florida when they were stolen in Florida in August 2008. L’Oreal has estimated the value of the stolen hair care products – which included shampoo, mousse, and hair color gels – to have a WAC of approximately $330,000. Tapanes also admitted that he and a conspirator received approximately $40,000 in cash from a confidential source in a Toys-R-Us parking lot in North Bergen, N.J., for the sale and delivery of the stolen goods.
The charges against the other defendants remain pending. These charges are merely accusations, and all defendants are considered innocent unless and until proven guilty.
On both of the conspiracy counts, Tapanes faces a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and a fine of $250,000 on each count. Sentencing is scheduled for April 25, 2013.
U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge David Velazquez; special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Shantelle P. Kitchen; and detectives of the North Bergen Police Department, under the direction of Chief Robert J. Dowd, for the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
The government is represented by Special Litigation Counsel Leslie Faye Schwartz and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jane H. Yoon of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Newark.
Defense Counsel: John C. Whipple Esq., Chatham, N.J.


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Microsoft today announced that they would be including a pretty tight integration of Facebook connect into the XBox live system. There are two parts to this story, one is that all future XBox games will allow users to post back information to their Facebook Streams and walls based off achievements in games, high scores etc. Facebook connect will also be used to pull in friends and marry them up to your Xbox live account.
The second part is that there is going to effectively be a Facebook application on the XBox which will allow you to see friends photos, comments, videos etc.
All this news came from the Gizmodo Live stream which is following the E3 conference, where by the big names in the gaming industry show off whats new. I am very surprised that Nintendo haven’t jumped on the Facebook bandwagon as it would seem to fit very well with the Wii.
Edit: At the Nintendo conference in the afternoon, they announced that the DSI would integrate with Facebook to allow users to upload photos straight from the device.
There are some suspected 20 million + XBox live owners, and since Facebook connect now integrates with 3rd party websites, iPhone applications, the XBox, and now DSI we should surely see it grow and grow into a monster application.


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Artificial intelligence, or AI, is a real and growing part of our lives, and the time is now ripe for a great change and disruption— the “Perfect Storm” as Outreach Director of Microsoft Research Asia, Tim Pan puts it.
With the coming together of big data, cloud computing and advanced algorithms, AI will now be sweeping each and every industry, becoming the next big thing to shake the world since the internet happened.
Microsoft Research Asia, Microsoft’s fundamental research arm in the Asia Pacific region, was founded in 1998 in Beijing. A world-class research lab that develops groundbreaking technologies and works at the cutting edge, AI is also one of the primary focuses of research. The range and depths of Microsoft’s research in the realms of AI has led to recent major advances, winning the ImageNet computer vision challenge and the SQuAD competition for semantic search.Data is the new currency, what are we waiting for?
AI is not some distant future, or something that only concerns the IT department. As a matter of fact, the amount of data needed to architect AI models is huge, and in order to determine parameters for prototypes, the whole process needs to be backed by large data sets. So before we even start to think about building a new AI solution, it is the data collection that Mr. Pan states Taiwan businesses should acknowledge and devote their resources to.
Mr. Pan believes that e-commerce should definitely go hand in hand with the field of “Big Data” in the advancing of artificial intelligence, using data science to conduct pattern mining, and going on to building a more tailored and useful solution, such as chatbot technology.
But Mr. Pan also stresses the importance of e-commerce businesses clearly “knowing what they want,” as AI is more akin to a tool, and it is up to the businesses to discover new and creative ways to apply AI. Whether it is data collection or the ways that AI technology is envisaged and attempted, now is the time for all industries to get on board. Waiting until the technology, marketing, integration, commercialization, and user experience of AI is mature enough will only see you being late to the game.Microsoft’s New Vision for Store of the Future
In real world cases, Microsoft has worked with visual recognition company Prism Skylab, using an AI system, retailers can conduct an advanced video search, with keywords such as “wallet” bringing up relevant segments of the video. This function not only works well for finding lost property, unmanned stores, but also for police systems.
Microsoft has also launched unmanned stores with JianFu Supermarket, a remarkable combination of smart retail and how AI technology can be envisioned for the future.
Supported by Microsoft’s technology platforms, including cloud computing, IoT, big data, and AI, JianFu Supermarket in Xiamen, Fujian has been able to provide a varied and customized level of products and services, by deeply mining user behaviors, forecasting trends, and leading production based on them.
There are 3 parts to the operating system, consisting of in-store cameras and sensors, connected to AI modules that have been fully trained and equipped by Microsoft. The first step being “Identifying Customers,” secondly “Connecting purchase history with this identity,” and the third part being “payment systems” (consisting of mobile or gesture payments). Through this, recommendations or related information and promotions based on the customer’s purchase history can be enabled, resulting in a precise increase of sales.
However, Taiwan businesses do not necessarily need to follow this same path as their China counterparts, as country size, density of retailers and also popularity of payment systems differ vastly. Taiwan businesses should focus on “improving the efficiency of services” as their main goal, and the possibilities of integrating humans and machines.Imagination leads to Possibilities of AI Innovation
Mr. Pan emphasized more than once, that “AI is a tool,” and the imagination greatly decides how the tool will be used. With the minimizing costs of trial and error nowadays, AI modules are available just by connecting to Microsoft’s Azure cloud server. However, e-commerce and retailers need to establish an imaginative vision for their business before innovation is possible with the introduction of AI.
Start from understanding the challenges of the business, to be able to bring in AI and devising Human-Robot workflows that can be applied.
Lastly, Outreach Director of Microsoft Research Asia, Mr. Tim Pan will be sharing Microsoft’s cutting edge observations of how artificial intelligence in retail is being applied in new ways across the entire industry, and how Microsoft can play an important part in assisting Taiwan e-commerce businesses and retailers in working with the latest state of the art technology.


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Thanksgiving Cooking Fire in Lakewood?
According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), more home fires happen on Thanksgiving than on any other day of the year. SERVPRO® of Lakewood-Ken Caryl wishes everyone a safe Thanksgiving holiday this year and offers these safety tips from the NFPA:
Top 10 safety tips
- Stay in the kitchen when you are cooking on the stovetop so you can keep an eye on the food
- Stay in the home when cooking your turkey, and check on it frequently
- Keep children away from the stove. The stove will be hot, and kids should stay three feet away.
- Make sure kids stay away from hot food and liquids. The steam or splash from vegetables, gravy, or coffee could cause serious burns
- Keep knives out of the reach of children
- Be sure electric cords from an electric knife, coffee maker, plate warmer, or mixer are not dangling off the counter within easy reach of a child
- Keep matches and utility lighters out of the reach of children — up high in a locked cabinet
- Never leave children alone in a room with a lit candle
- Keep the floor clear so you don’t trip over kids, toys, pocketbooks, or bags
- Make sure your smoke alarms are working. Test them by pushing the test button.
Call Us Today!
When your Lakewood home or business has a fire damage emergency, SERVPRO® of Lakewood-Ken Caryl can help. We have the training, equipment, and experience to restore fire damage quickly and efficiently. Call us today at 303-973-4664.
Franchises are Independently Owned and Operated.


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by Tashun Chism
School uniforms have been available at various East Texas stores for some time.
But with the opening of a new school uniform store today Lufkin, people are once again talking about a decision made by the Lufkin school district to require uniforms at more Lufkin schools.
"Our middle school has been in uniforms for eight years now and 30 percent of our elementaries been and in this coming year we'll make a move to create a uniform format for all of our elementaries," said Lufkin ISD Superintendent Roy Knight.
East Texans have varying opinions about the decision.
"They're not wearing gang related colors or gang related clothes. Or boys aren't wearing clothes that are not fitted to their waist right. And girls aren't wearing things that are a little too short," said Lufkin parent Mona Luna
"They can dress however they want. They can dress baggy or they can dress gothic. As long as they're going to school and doing their job, what does that matter," for Lufkin ISD student Jesus Hernandez said.
"You'll probably save money on clothing. You'll only have to buy maybe two or three uniforms the whole year. So from all the angles, I think it's a good idea," Lufkin resident Ino Reyes told us.
Lufkin school leaders say so far, most parents have been supportive. And they hope East Texans realize why they're requiring all elementary students wear uniforms.


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SmarTone has aired a new TVC to celebrate the launch of its new 5G service and collaboration with foodpanda Hong Kong, featuring actor Sam Lee and her three-year-old daughter and baby influencer Lucy.
The TVC portrays Lucy as an alien to help her father get rid of the landlines in traditional home broadband services as sharing home broadband among multiple devices may slow down internet speed. Lucy also tells the competitive price of SmarTone's latest 5G private broadband service. The video is available on online platforms, such as YouTube, Facebook and Instagram, as well as television channels.
SmarTone said the latest service is based on a survey that examined internet access among Hongkongers. For example, 70% of fixed broadband users believed sharing home broadband among multiple devices could slow down internet speed; and more than half of the respondents said the fixed broadband service can improve.
Meanwhile, over 50% of respondents also experienced inconvenience in fixed broadband installation, such as wiring and scheduling of installation professionals. Lastly, up to 30% of residents living in village houses and close to 20%, standalone building residents did not have sufficient options when it came to choosing a broadband service operator.
“SmarTone Home 5G Broadband has been well received in the market since it launched last year. Under the new normal, SmarTone Home 5G Broadband has resolved customer painpoints and brought plug-and-play private broadband at a very reasonable price," said Josephine Lam, head of marketing and sales at SmarTone.
In response to the demand from customers, SmarTone has rolled out a home internet experience that requires no landlines or installations. Customers only need to connect the power before using the service.
Meanwhile, to offer greater convenience, SmarTone is collaborating with foodpanda Hong Kong to open up a brand new sales channel. Customers can order SmarTone Home 5G Broadband service and the router can be delivered to customers’ doorsteps as fast as 10 minutes.
Lam added, "SmarTone 5G network’s widest coverage in Hong Kong provides options to residents of standalone buildings, village houses, tenement buildings and other accommodations with no broadband coverage, marking the arrival of a new 5G private broadband era that brings lag-free video conferencing and ultra-smooth eLearning to the reality of 5G home broadband.”
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SmarTone introduces 5G buses with KMB in Hong Kong
SmarTone offers 5G services at SHKP's hotels
SmarTone launches its Hong Kong 5G services


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Bed Bath & Beyond, Walgreens and PetSmart are among the retailers selling through Google’s voice-activated devices.
The retailer contacted some marketplace sellers with loan offers.
Amazon.com Inc. appears poised to add loan financing to its host of e-commerce services. Some retailers who sell in Amazon’s marketplace this week received invitations to participate in a new loan program called Amazon Lending, operated by Amazon Capital Services Inc. Retailers can register for the program by invitation only.
More than 20 retailer clients of e-commerce and marketplace services firm ChannelAdvisor received invites this week, says ChannelAdvisor CEO Scot Wingo. He posted the text of one such invite on his company’s blog, but did not reveal which clients received the invite.
Amazon declined to comment.
The invite says Amazon had pre-qualified the recipient based on its selling performance in the marketplace, and that retailers can use Amazon Lending funds to purchase inventory and increase their sales on Amazon.com. The interest rate is 13%. Retailers register online for a loan using their seller account credentials and, if approved, Amazon Lending will deposit the loan amount into the retailer’s Amazon seller account within five business days. Monthly loan payments are automatically deducted from the retailer’s Amazon seller account, the invite says.
Wingo says a number of ChannelAdvisor clients are interested in taking Amazon up on its offer.
Christine Rutemiller, co-founder of Northern Marine Electronics, an e-retailer of consumer electronics and accessories and an Amazon marketplace seller, says she’s interested in hearing what Amazon is proposing. “If they were to lend money at a good rate, we could purchase more inventory and expand our product base,” she says. She says Northern Marine, which currently sells about 100 products through Amazon’s marketplace, did not receive an invitation about Amazon Lending. Northern Marine is No. 921 in the Internet Retailer Second 500 Guide.
“Having quick access to extra cash in the busy fourth quarter holiday season could prove helpful to merchants that have already allocated the majority of their cash flow to inventory or advertising budgets," says Eric Best, CEO of Mercent, which helps retailers sell through online marketplaces. Amazon’s new program also comes at a time when retailers may be further strapped for cash because of changes Google Inc. recently made to Product Listing Ads on the search engine. In the three months since Google Inc. introduced its Product Listing Ads for Google Shopping, retailers have suddenly lost a slew of free advertising on the search engine giant, he says, which they’ve had to pay to get back.
“For merchants, Google Shopping has represented 25-30% of their total retail revenue,” Best says, adding that this year the combined search and commerce engine will generate about $2 billion in overall retail revenue. “Even at a reasonable industry average of a five to one return on advertising spend, our customers are spending an extra $100 million annually to drive advertising on a platform that used to be free.”
In the wake of Google’s shift, e-retailers have been scrambling to find new routes of customer acquisition and sources of capital for their advertising budgets, Best says. Amazon Lending could prove to be one reasonable solution, though Best and Wingo agree that an interest rate of 13% may be somewhat high compared to rates available through other small business lenders. Kabbage Inc., for example, a ChannelAdvisor partner, provides cash advances to online businesses at a rate of 1% to 7% the advance’s value, depending on the size and duration of the loan. Moreover, where Amazon takes approximately five business days to approve a loan and deposit the funds, Kabbage offers an instant transfer to a PayPal account or in three to five days to a bank account, the company says.


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The science fiction reality
Top TVs - OLED, 4K, Ultra HD, LED and more...
CES 2013 was all about TVs. It was the show where 4K, Ultra HD and OLED made their biggest impressions yet - causing tech journalists around the world to go home and swear profusely at their 'rubbish' Full HD television sets.
All of the big players had new TVs on show - new TVs packing a wealth of new technologies.
Here, MSN Tech's resident TV guru John Archer's provides his pick of a very strong CES 2013 TV bunch....
related stories on msn
latest tech videos
Microsoft and Carphone Warehouse have teamed up with artist Caleb Charland to wirelessly charge a brand new Lumia 930 smartphone using 800 apples and potatoes.
Date 25/07/14, Duration 1:51, Views 898


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On-line fintech brokerage agency Robinhood is about to affix the Bitcoin ETF craze, saying the ETF approval is a key consider advancing the mixing of crypto with conventional finance.
Though Tenev didn’t present a selected timeframe, he emphasised that the approval of spot crypto ETFs not solely brings readability but additionally paves the best way for classy threat administration instruments.
“It [the approval] not solely affords readability but additionally opens avenues for classy threat administration instruments that profit our clients in managing their digital asset investments.”
Along with shares, choices, and cryptocurrencies, Robinhood additionally affords buying and selling with exchange-traded funds (ETFs) resembling Invesco Nasdaq-100 ETF, Vanguard Mega Cap Progress ETF, iShares U.S. Residence Development ETF, and lots of others.
Analysts anticipate that the approval of a Bitcoin exchange-traded fund, serving as a method for buyers to purchase the cryptocurrency by means of conventional brokerage accounts, could possibly be advantageous for Robinhood.
Dan Dolev, a senior analyst at Mizuho Securities, said in December 2023 that the approval could possibly be notably useful for Robinhood, on condition that its main income sources come from inventory buying and selling. Competing exchanges may even see diminished volumes as customers choose to transact Bitcoin immediately on platforms like Robinhood, the analyst emphasised.
With the current approval of spot Bitcoin ETFs, consideration is now turning to the upcoming Bitcoin halving, which is predicted to happen in April, and the inflows into conventional finance funding autos linked to BTC. Whereas monetary giants like JPMorgan anticipate a gradual improve in capital curiosity, crypto-focused entities resembling Mike Novogratz’s Galaxy Digital foresee vital worth surges, with projections reaching as excessive as 74%.


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This story is available exclusively to Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now.
- The fitness industry is rapidly evolving as more Americans workout from home than ever before thanks to the pandemic.
- Experts say these shifts will be lasting, and will catalyze a period of consolidation within the fitness industry.
- We spoke with several industry insiders who shared their predictions for possible fitness industry mergers and acquisitions.
- Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.
The year 2021 is already shaping up to be a pivotal one for the rapidly evolving fitness industry.
With more virtual exercise programs and at-home fitness products on the market than ever before, the pandemic has drastically changed the way Americans workout. And experts say that connected fitness is here to stay. Some companies like Peloton have emerged as early leaders of the new fitness era— closing its banner 2020 year with a major $420 million acquisition of Precor.
Though many predict brick-and-mortar gyms and studios will not become obsolete, those companies may soon enter a period of consolidation to account for closures and bankruptcies during the pandemic, while also adding digital services to keep up with today's fitness landscape.
"What you saw happen in retail is exactly what's happening in fitness on the bricks and mortar side: lots of consolidation while the industry goes through this period of shifting to digital and a hybridization of offerings," Bryan O'Rourke, a fitness analyst and board member with the International Health Racquet and Sportsclub Association, told Insider.
We spoke with several fitness industry experts, including O'Rourke — ranging from market researchers and venture capital to marketing gurus — about possible M&A activity to look out for 2021. Here's what they had to say.
Apple could acquire Peloton.
According to Jake Matthews, senior intelligence analyst at CB Insights, there may be a future in which Apple sets its sights on Peloton, as it continues to grow its technology empire and expand further into the fitness realm after launching Apple Fitness Plus in December 2020.
"The Peloton brand is more Apple-like than really any other brand in the world," Matthews said. "If you watch the first five seconds of the new promotional video for the Peloton Bike plus, you would think that you were about to watch a video for the new iPhone. The brands are really similar in a lot of different ways."
Ultimately, Matthews said it would be a mutually beneficial merger that would help Peloton bolster production thanks to the "operational excellence and scale of a company like Apple," while allowing Apple to tap into Peloton's loyal user base to grow its subscription business.
"Both Apple and Peloton have already laid the groundwork for integrating the two companies," he said. "Acquiring Peloton would give Apple a base of loyal, really highly engaged customers — who honestly are already Apple customers — that they could transition to Apple Fitness Plus and the Apple One bundle to help catalyze the growth of their subscription business."
Peloton might also buy up more brands as it continues to build out its own portfolio.
As Peloton looks to expand its offerings beyond its popular stationary bicycle and treadmill, Claude Zdanow — CEO of marketing agency holding company Stadiumred Group — said it may look to acquire other buzzy connected fitness startups to widen its roster of workouts.
"I don't have a crystal ball, but if I were to guess I would think that Peloton would make some moves to buy up more brands," Zdanow told Insider. "They've done very well, the stock is through the roof, and they have the ability to offer more to their clients if they had more at home machines. I could see them buying a company similar to Mirror to further diversify."
Mirror, the high-tech at-home fitness startup that operates as a wall mirror upon which users can stream workout classes, was purchased by Lululemon in June 2020 for $500 million.
Athlon Acquisition may buy several fitness brands as the SPAC trend hits the fitness industry.
Avery Spear, data analyst at Renaissance Capital, a provider of IPO-focused exchange traded funds, told Insider to expect to see the special purpose acquisition company () trend hit the fitness industry.
Specifically, Spear cited Athlon Acquisition — a new health and wellness focused SPAC created by Causeway Media Partners — as one to watch. The company filed its initial public offering in December with plans to focus "on businesses in the health, wellness, and fitness sectors and the products, devices, applications, and technology driving growth within these verticals," according to its S-1 Prospectus filed with the SEC.
"SPACS definitely are another viable route for these companies that maybe can't go public via a traditional IPO right now, but still want access to public markets," Spear told Insider.
GoodLife Fitness could acquire 24 Hour Fitness.
Though 24 Hour Fitness filed for bankruptcy in June 2020, announcing plans to close more than 130 gyms across the US, the company may get a second wind with help from its neighbors up north.
O'Rourke, the fitness analyst and board member of the International Health Racquet and Sportsclub Association, said he foresees a company like Good Life Fitness in Canada merging with 24 hour Fitness in an effort to expand business operations in the US. In addition to the companies having similar operating styles, O'Rourke said there are existing relationships with executives across the two companies which could lend itself to a fruitful merger.
"There's a lot of alignment on their board, so I could see it happening," O'Rourke told Insider. "They have similarly aligned operations and some shared leadership and DNA. Plus allocating overhead costs across a much wider spectrum would hopefully help them obtain financial backing."
Zdanow of Stadiumred Group similarly anticipated that large fitness companies may start banding together as the pandemic continues to wreak havoc on American businesses.
"The smaller mom and pops will sadly be most affected, but I would not be surprised if we see some joining of forces for some of the nationwide chains," he said. "Especially ones that can leverage the real estate they have to offer more services than what they offer now."
Meanwhile, UK-based PureGym could consider a bid for a US fitness chain.
Beyond consolidation in North America, O'Rourke hypothesized possible international mergers, such as PureGym Limited — a chain of no frills health clubs based in the UK but owned by US-based venture capital firm Leonard Green & Partners — purchasing one of the beleaguered US chains.
"I can see a cross-border transaction," O'Rourke said. "I could see PureGym acquiring in the US or acquiring parts of a chain in the US. I can see a number of those kinds of transactions happening on the bricks and mortar side."
Nautilus may merge with a major manufacturer like Core Health & Fitness.
Following in the footsteps of Peloton's acquisition of Precor, multiple experts suggested a possible merger for Nautilus Inc., parent company of Bowflex, Schwinn, Universal, and its namesake Nautilus brand.
O'Rourke said he could see Nautilus fully merging with Core Health & Fitness, an exercise equipment manufacturer, which already commercially produces its Schwinn and Nautilus brand products.
Likewise, Sucharita Kodali, vice president and the principal analyst at Forrester, echoed O'Rourke and said Nautilus may be a hot commodity moving into 2021.
"From my vantage point, given the success of Peloton, we've seen Nautilus do well also," Kodali wrote in an email to Insider. "They could be a target for someone if it's not too overpriced."
After Lululemon's acquisition of Mirror, activewear competitors like Nike may look to cut a deal with connected fitness companies like Tempo.
After Lululemon's successful acquisition of Mirror, Matthews of CB Insights said to expect a similar acquisition from a major sportswear brand. Matthews hypothesized that Nike may purchase a company like connected home fitness brand Tempo.
"I would expect to see another buyer of connected fitness equipment from the apparel, sportswear, or athleisure space," Matthews told Insider. "Lululemon last March acquired Mirror and I think the markets responded really well to that acquisition."
The key for a company like Nike is to select a connected fitness company with users that match its own core demographic, Matthews said. While Tempo may not come cheap — its products start at $1,995 — it's aesthetic and target audience aligns with the young, athletic, and affluent Nike shopper.
Additionally, he said the pairing could help Nike build out its existing fitness programs like Nike Training Club by finding ways to "further monetize those consumers and really strengthen the value proposition."
"Nike has really been on a path toward digitization and vertical integration through their direct to consumer strategy," he said. "A piece of connected fitness equipment, similar to what Lululemon has done with Mirror, would really help Nike and reinforce its strategic narrative around digital and direct to consumer."


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A recall of millions of vehicles was announced last month, affecting cars equipped with airbags that could explode under certain circumstances.
Honda, Mazda and Nissan recalled 2.9 million cars worldwide for the faulty safety devices, but they are in fine company: GM, BMW, Toyota, Chrysler and Ford have all announced similar recalls.
The defective airbags are manufactured by Tokyo-based Takata Corp., one of three major manufacturers of airbags.
The problem is not with the airbags themselves, but with the inflators in Takata’s product; the company says it knows of at least six instances in which the cylinder-shaped inflators exploded on deployment of the airbag, sending metal fragments flying. This issue has led to recalls of around 10 million vehicles over the last five years.
The current investigation, targeting southern U.S. states and territories with hot, humid weather, was prompted by six incidents in Florida and Puerto Rico. The exact number of vehicles recalled is unknown, but the recall seems to involve vehicles assembled in Washington and Mexico in the early and middle part of the last decade.
Takata manufactures other auto parts too, including steering wheels, seat belts and turn signals. The air bag problems are not the only ones Takata has recently encountered. Last year, the corporate giant admitted to concocting a seat belt price fixing scheme, agreeing to pay $71.3 million in antitrust fines.
When a design flaw contributes to an accident or personal injury, the manufacturer may be legally liable. Colson Hicks Eidson has litigated more than 100 cases involving defective car parts. When you contact our office online or by calling 305-476-7400, we immediately get to work determining who is responsible and why. You did not deserve to suffer, and we will move aggressively to protect your rights.
Did You Know: All new passenger cars were required to have driver and passenger airbags beginning with the 1998 model year.
Colson Hicks Eidson – Injury Attorneys


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WASHINGTON — Mercedes-Benz USA is recalling 4,871 vehicles, including the 2014-'15 Mercedes-Benz E250 Bluetec and E250 Bluetec 4Matic, because an oil leak may increase the risk of a fire, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
"In the affected vehicles, oil may leak from around the chain tensioner gasket area," said NHTSA in its recall summary. "Leaking oil may drip onto a hot engine surface, increasing the risk of a fire. Additionally, the leaking oil may be a road hazard for other vehicles, increasing the risk of a crash."
The affected vehicles were built from February 28, 2014 to November 10, 2014.
Mercedes-Benz did not respond immediately to a query from Edmunds asking if there are any fires, injuries, crashes or fatalities linked to the recall.
Mercedes-Benz dealers will replace the chain tensioner gasket. The recall is expected to begin on December 26. Owners can contact Mercedes-Benz at 1-800-367-6372.
Edmunds says: If you own one of these vehicles, plan on scheduling a service appointment with your dealer after Christmas.


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Microsoft will launch its own game store by 2024
After operating successfully in the game market for consoles and PC, Microsoft is planning to expand into the mobile industry. During an interview, Phil Spencer, CEO of Xbox, revealed the company’s intentions to Launch your own marketplace for iOS and Android.
He also stated that if all goes as planned, the new store would open in early 2024. However, for this to happen, we must wait for the Digital Markets Law to come into force, which will force Apple and Google to allow their users to access their applications. from more than just the App Store and Google Play.
This new law would come into effect on May 2 of this year, and will identify the “digital gatekeepers” who use their power to block other companies’ access to the mobile market. They will have until March 6, 2024 to break down those barriers.
Phil Spencer says that Xbox wants to explore the mobile market to fulfill its objective of offering content on all possible screens and media. The executive explains that the store will offer its users both first party games and titles produced by other companies.
“We want to be able to deliver content from both our own and our third-party partners to any screen someone wants to play on,” Spencer said. The Activision Blizzard purchase will be very important if it is approved, since will allow Microsoft to access King’s catalog of games.
The company is aware that it will be a challenge to compete with Google Play and App Store if you decide to launch your own store. However, he maintains that offering “recognized and popular content” will be crucial to engaging gamers and encouraging them to try something new in the mobile space.


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Cashpoint caution urged to beat fraud
CUSTOMERS are today being warned to take care after hi-tech thieves targeted cashpoints at two Suffolk supermarkets.In the week running up to Christmas thieves inserted a car-reading device into the machines at Martlesham's Tesco store and cash was stolen.
CUSTOMERS are today being warned to take care after hi-tech thieves targeted cashpoints at two Suffolk supermarkets.
In the week running up to Christmas thieves inserted a car-reading device into the machines at Martlesham's Tesco store and cash was stolen.
A supermarket spokeswoman also reported security concerns at the Kesgrave store.
Some customers have reported difficulty in removing their cards and a poster now warns people to be careful when using the machines.
Fraud expert Paul Rawlings, who works in Suffolk's cheque and credit card fraud unit, urged people to take extra care with their personal details.
He said: "Bank cards are a very valuable asset and appropriate steps should be taken to look after them and to stop the information they carry falling into the hands of criminals."
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A spokeswoman for Suffolk police confirmed thefts at the Martlesham store on 16, 18 and 19 December were being investigated.
And she appealed for public help in beating the card fraudsters.
She said: "We would appeal for anyone who sees a person acting suspiciously, for example standing very close to them at the cashpoint or trying to see the personal identification number, to contact us."
A spokeswoman for Tesco confirmed there had been security concerns at Martlesham and Kesgrave stores, but said both cashpoints were in working order.
She said: "The matter is in the hands of the police.
"We are working with the police to ensure that our customers are made aware and are reminded of the dangers."
Never let your card out of sight
Take care with receipts and check them against your bank statement
Shred financial information before binning it
Never write down your PIN or tell it to anyone
Never allow yourself to be distracted while using your card
Report lost or stolen cards, and any suspected fraud to the card issuer immediately.